The kitchen is the heart of the home. It’s where we prepare hearty meals or bake scrumptious treats in our spare time. However, with sharp knives around and water being splashed while washing the vegetables, the kitchen is also full of safety issues. This is why it is essential to safety-proof the kitchen to avoid potential dangers like fires or falls. We have prepared a guide of tips about kitchen safety for elderly people.
The first step of kitchen safety is the scan the room for potential fire hazards so that you can remove or prevent them.
Be Aware of Flammables
There are many items in the kitchen that can easily catch on fire. Remove any dish towels near the oven or stovetop where they can catch fire from the burners. Likewise, plastic utensils, newspapers, and potholders are other potential flammables. Check the curtain placement in your kitchen to ensure that they are not near any open fires. You should also talk to your loved ones about safe clothing choices while cooking. Recommend short sleeves that will not flutter against the flame and ignite.
Install Fire Safety Equipment
One of the best ways to stop a fire is to detect it immediately when it happens. Make sure that your smoke detector is working properly. If you do not have one, get one installed as soon as possible. Also always keep an easy-to-operate fire extinguisher nearby so that you can easily grab it when in need.
Other than fire safety, you should also be mindful of how your loved one stores and prepares food.
Store Food Safely
Ensure that the refrigerator is set to at least 40 degrees Fahrenheit so that all meats, dairy, and other perishables are safe. If you choose to remove the original packaging, you can use a permanent marker to write the expiration date on the new box so that you know when to dispose of them.
Be Vigilant While Cooking
Never walk away from a simmering pot or pan. It is easy to forget that you have something on the stove. Put on a timer to remind you when to come back. If you are still concerned about forgetting, you can install an automatic shut-off feature on a gas that will turn off the burner if there is no activity detected in the kitchen for a set amount of time.
Falling is an incredibly dangerous accident to happen especially for older adults. Here are some ways you can prevent falls.
Install Non-Slip Flooring
It’s best to install non-slip flooring in your kitchen. However, if that’s not possible, there are other methods to make your kitchen floors slip-free. You can get slip-resistant shoes which will make it easier to navigate around the kitchen without fears of falling. You should also put non-slip mats in front of the sink so that it will soak up spills, preventing another fall hazard.
Increase Accessibility to Items
Making things easier to reach will help prevent falls from happening. Arrange your cupboards so that the items inside do not require a step ladder to reach them. You can also purchase a grabber to seize items that are slightly out of reach.
